We loved the apartment in La Spezia. Andrea accommodated our arrival a day earlier than originally planned, which helped us spend 4 full days in the area. The apartment is very convenient – a 1-minute walk from La Spezia Centrale station, and at the terminus of La Spezia’s main walking street that runs all the way to the harbor (where you can catch boats daily to Cinque Terre, Porto Venere, etc.). This street has lots of shops and restaurants, and there is also a Carrefour grocery store around the corner. The apartment itself is excellent, and is among the better VRBO units we rented during our three weeks in Italy. It was roomy enough for our family of four, though we mostly just slept, showered and ate breakfast there. The interior is newly and tastefully remodeled, with full sets of dishes, coffee maker, etc. It has some large doors that open onto balconies where you can sit in the evenings or hang clothes to dry. The windows are all new double-pane windows that capably shut out the sound of the road and trains. AC was being added to the apartment the day we left, which should allow the windows to stay closed when it’s hot out – pretty important in the summer months.
Andrea was very communicative and welcoming, and really wanted to make sure we had a great visit. When we left, we accidentally left behind some items, and she had those priority mailed to our next destination!
We really enjoyed the local restaurants – especially La Roma Ristorante (right across the street) and La Paloma (Corniglia).
If you plan to visit Cinque Terre, I’d highly recommend this apartment for your stay.